Tangled in the Dark: A Bully Romance That Tastes Like Christmas Sin

When the Holidays Turn Wickedly Hot

Forget mistletoe kisses and sugar-sweet declarations — Honkers Under the Holly by Amy Award delivers a holiday romance so bold, so biting, it practically scorches the snow off the ground. Set once again in the addictive world of the Cocky Kingmans at Verona Falls University, this dark college romance doesn’t just flirt with taboo — it unwraps it like a dirty little gift waiting under the tree.

In a season built on cheer and family, the Amy Award offers something far more thrilling: obsession, emotional warfare, and a lust-fueled battle between two people who should know better — but never, ever do.

A Holiday They’ll Never Forget (Spoiler-Free Book Overview)

You think you know what a Christmas romance looks like — cosy sweaters, awkward family dinners, hot cocoa-fueled flirtation. But Honkers Under the Holly isn’t here for Hallmark clichés. It’s here for chaos, cravings, and combustible chemistry wrapped in the glitz of holiday lights and family dysfunction.

The Kingmans have always ruled Verona Falls, but during the winter break, their grip gets personal. A surprise houseguest. One wrong knock. And a long-simmering tension that erupts over twinkle lights and bourbon-soaked confessions.

He’s her enemy — maybe even her worst mistake. But when the snow falls, and boundaries blur, what begins as mockery becomes something far more dangerous. And far more intimate.

This isn’t just about hooking up under the holly — it’s about unravelling secrets, peeling back pride, and seeing someone clearly for the first time when the world outside is frozen and quiet.

Twisted Tropes & Melted Hearts (Themes & Characters)

Amy Award writes with fearless heat and emotional precision. In this instalment of The Cocky Kingmans, she explores how the holidays — usually a time of connection — can twist into something darker, more volatile when you’re stuck with the one person who knows exactly how to get under your skin.

Key themes woven into the story:

• Enemies to lovers, but nastier, needier, and laced with bitter pasts
• Bully romance, with sharp dialogue and slow-burning vulnerability
• Holiday setting is used not for fluff but contrast — the snow outside is nothing compared to what burns behind closed doors.
• Verona Falls University, again, offers the perfect backdrop for privilege, pressure, and power games.

The heroine is sharp, jaded, and painfully aware of her emotional armour — until one Kingman breaks through it with brutal honesty and even more brutal desire. He’s cold, calculating, and infuriating — but with every cutting word and heated glance, he reveals cracks in his facade. Together, they’re combustible but also tragically relatable.

This isn’t a story of two perfect people falling in love. It’s about two damaged souls finding comfort in the one person who reflects their worst — and maybe their best.

Who Will Fall for This Book

If your idea of a good romance comes with edge, grit, and a little psychological warfare — this one’s for you.

Ideal for readers who love:

• Dark college romance with emotional complexity
• Holiday stories that break the rules
• Penelope Douglas, L.J. Shen, or Tijan
• Slow burns that feel earned, not engineered
• Messy characters who don’t apologize for their desire — they revel in it

This isn’t the kind of Christmas romance you read with your mom. It’s the one you binge alone, under a blanket, while texting your best friend, “WHAT is he doing to her under that damn holly?!”

Final Thoughts: Let the Heat Melt the Snow

Honkers Under the Holly is bold, brutal, and completely addictive. Amy Award doesn’t just write romance — she writes combustion. With a story that balances winter atmosphere and inner emotional storms, she dares us to believe that even in the darkest hearts, warmth can bloom.

So if you’re tired of tame and ready for tension, prepared for bruised hearts and bad decisions that taste like salvation — grab this book.

Let the snow fall. Let the fire start. And don’t be surprised if you never look at holiday lights the same way again.

Read it. Crave it. And maybe fall a little under the holly, too.